The Universalist. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1884-1897, 1887-06-18


strength of that love, which the shadow
OF approaching death could not conquer,
he spent his dying breath in prayer for
his murderers. That prayer of prayers:
Father, forgive them, for they know
not what they do" shall be borne on
ward through succeeding generations
and stand there, testifying to all that
Jesus came in the spirit and power of
love divine, to overcome evil VI it'll good.
But, alas how in the world, that law
is invaded and violated, even by those
VINO theoretically acknowledge its bind
ing obligation. In the world of bus
mess, where men strive with each other
IN the endless race for gain-in the hot
and eager chase of honor and office,
and in the commotion of the political
elements, what see we but a contest
OF antagonistic evils, an effort to meet
evil with evil and overcome evil with
evil?
Ii from individuals we go up to COM
munities and governments, we shall
find the principle of evil for evil en-
bodied in laws and enforced by the
magistrates. No thought have the laws
Of men of doing good to the transgres-
sor, or of attempting to make a good
man of the criminal by an exhibition Of
kindness toward him, but rather do
they regard him as thing to be crush
ed and blotted out and the practice is
to oppose one evil to another, and thus
to subdue one evil with another. If
from these we turn to the churches the
case is much the same, and the popular
theology rests upon the rule of "evil for
evil" hatred for hatred, wrath for
wrath, cursing for cursing. If the sin
ner hates God the doctrine is that God
hates him. If be curses God then God
will curse him; and if he does evil
God will seek the remedy by INJECTING
an endless evil. Such is the theory of
the matter and the practical develop
ments are such as might be expected.
Those who think to preserve the public
virtue, to reform the world and subdue
men to Christ, imagine that their best
chance of success is in breathing out
threatening and slaughter, and hence
the hostile attitude and the angry
| tones of the pulpit. And in this work
of denunciation men are as jealous,
| and as earnest as if it were fact that
mems hearts can be warmed OR melted
with nothing else but the vehement
heat of the fires of perdition. If we
talk of the love of God, and its power
to overcome the evil of mems lives, they
do not understand us. Nay, the affir-
nation is, that this Is the direct and
the surest way to encourage men in
their evil ways. Nay, it is said you
must bring them up to Sinai and roll its
thunders and dart its vivid lightnings
at them, until rottenness enters into
their bones, and they cry: "Lord, save
me or perish" Alas and where is
that love which stronger than death?
And where that great principle of over
coming evil with good, for which Jesus
died and the blood Of the martyrs was
| shed i? That old past which is despised
must plead for that ? Away back there,
in the Garden and on Calvary, are the
scenes consecrated to this principle, and
baptized in blood. Thence comes the
voice Of the testimony that God estab-
lished telling us of one who when re-
viled, reviled not again, and who went
up to the altar and laid down his life
for the sake of this principle. And
then stretching out from that in one
continuous line along the track of ages
are the graves of the martyrs, speaking
in mute but powerful eloquence to you
and me, and testifying to one and all
that "Love is stronger than DEATH"
and that evil can only be met and con-
quered with good. If, to look back
with reverence to these, and insist that
here is the testimony to the only prin-
ciple upon which evil ever was, or ever
will be overcome-if to find here the
standard of all truth and duty-and if
an ardent desire to preserve this testi-
mony in all its freshness and purity be
conservatism, write us down conserva-
tive now and ever.
Neglected and despised and trampled
under foot of men this principle may
be for the time being; but there is
hope in the thought that truth is i'm
mortal and can never die. God has
established it forever and one day it
shall rise from the dust, assert its ON
impotence and reign over all.
mo war shall rage nor hostile feuds
Disturb those peaceful years;
To ploughshares men shall beat their swords,
To pruning hooks their spears"
Emerson's personal appearance was
that Of a scholar and the descendant Of